GEOTECHNICAL SUSTAINABILITY RATING TOOLS

Middle East Journal of Applied Science & Technology (MEJAST)
Vol.3, Iss.2, Pages 07-24, April-June 2020
ISSN: 2582-0974 www.mejast.com 7
Country: UAE
Geotechnical Sustainability in the United Arab Emirates–Sustainability
Rating Tools
Ryan Sochanik
Principal Geotechnical Engineer, Atkins, Dubai, United Arab Emirates.
Article Received: 12 March 2020 Article Accepted: 09 June 2020 Article Published: 20 June 2020
1. Introduction
The UAE is a constitutional federation of seven emirates founded in 1971. It is located in the
North East of the Arab Peninsula with a land mass of approximately 71,023.6sq km. There
is desert climate in the UAE with high temperatures in the summer (average maximum
temperature is 45.0 degrees Celsius) and relatively high temperatures in the winter (the
minimum average temperature is 13.0 degrees Celsius) (Statistic Centre Abu Dhabi).
Typical average rainfall varies from 0mm in the summer months to 13mm in the winter
months (Statistic Centre Abu Dhabi). The high temperatures combined with low rainfall
means water scarcity is a concern in the UAE.
Sustainability and associated concepts (such as carbon footprint) are increasingly
recognised as a fundamental part of managing the earth’s resources. The need for
sustainability in the UAE is recognised by the Government and included in development
plans and agendas, such as Vision 2021 (United Arab Emirates, 2010). The objectives of the
UAE Government are aligned to the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and their
2030 Agenda (United Nations, 2015). Although significant improvements in environmental
management have been made, in 2016 the World Wildlife Fund estimated that the United
Arab Emirates is still amongst the countries with the highest ecological footprint in the world
(World Wildlife Fund, 2016).
The UAE, and in particular Dubai, is known for its construction projects including the world’s
tallest building. Sustainability during construction and operation of these construction
ABSTRACT
Sustainability and the concept of sustainable development now form part of governmental policy around the world. The United
Arab Emirates is no different, recognising that its ecological footprint and continued growth require management of resources
and waste streams. A fundamental part of this is sustainable construction and operation of civil engineering projects such as
buildings, roads and airports. Geotechnical engineering is required on practically all civil engineering projects yet is often
overlooked when design and construction decisions are being made regarding civil engineering sustainability. One of the most
common ways to measure sustainability in civil engineering projects is through rating tools. Rating tools have grown and
developed internationally for decades and are used across the world for various different projects (buildings, roads,
infrastructure etc.). The United Arab Emirates have developed their own local ratings tools (and sustainability frameworks) and
have mandated their use in certain projects. There is significant scope for geotechnical engineering to contribute to improving
sustainability and rating tools are one element that can be developed. A detailed review of local and international ratings tools
is carried out to understand where geotechnical engineering can currently contribute and the possibilities to improve
geotechnical sustainability in the United Arab Emirates are discussed.
Keywords: Geotechnical engineering, Civil engineering sustainability, Local rating tools, United Arab Emirates.

projects is recognised as a key part of the SDGs. Civil engineering, therefore, needs to
continue and improve implementation of sustainability in engineering projects. This
requirement, and the associated challenge for engineering, is well documented (for
example, Pantelidou et al., (2012)).
Geotechnical engineering is a discipline of engineering involving any interaction with soil and
rock (natural, manufactured or improved). Almost all civil engineering projects require
geotechnical input through elements such as foundation design, excavation support and
slope stability. In addition to multidisciplinary projects, there are standalone geotechnical
projects such as cuttings and embankments. As a consequence, there is significant scope for
geotechnical engineering to contribute to sustainability.
There is a current legislative framework for engineering sustainability in the United Arab
Emirates. Three of the Emirates have either sustainability frameworks or rating tools to
ensure minimum requirements are met and optimised sustainability performance is
recognised. While the United Arab Emirates is proactive in sustainable policies, there are
multiple opportunities to improve geotechnical engineering and civil engineering
sustainability. One of the avenues available for increasing geotechnical sustainability is
through development of the rating tools, both in the most commonly used engineering
rating tools and those in use in the United Arab Emirates.
2. Sustainability Rating Tools–Worldwide
Internationally civil engineering has adopted various different tools to improve the
sustainability of projects, primarily by being able to quantify how sustainable a project is.
Rating tools are one method, where different key indicators are measured and assessed
against best practice and an overall rating assigned. The rating systems build on mandatory
requirements for “green” construction with the aim of encouraging new developments to go
beyond the minimum requirements.
A brief description of the most commonly used ratings tools (worldwide) is presented to
provide an understanding of their key objectives and goals.
A. BREEAM (UK; 1990)
BREEAM (Building Research Establishment Environmental Assessment Method) is
recognised as the first sustainability assessment method for buildings and was created in
1990. Its stated aim is to “encourage continuous performance improvement and innovation
by setting and assessing against a broad range of scientifically rigorous requirements that
go beyond current regulations and practice” (BREEAM, 2014).

BREEAM measures a project’s sustainable credentials in the following series of categories
 Energy
 Health and Wellbeing
 Innovation
 Land Use
 Materials
 Management
 Pollution
 Transport
 Waste
 Water
After assessment, the projects are certified and awarded a rating, based on the projects
performance. The ratings are used to encourage companies to adopt the highest level of
sustainability into their projects. The BREEAM ratings are Pass, Good, Very Good, Excellent
and Outstanding and it is reflected in a series of stars on the BREEAM certificate.
BREEAM assessment and certification is possible for:
 Communities
 New Construction
 In-use (existing building performance)
 Refurbishment and Fit-Out
BREEAM infrastructure is discussed under CEEQUAL.
B. LEED (USA: 2000)
LEED, or Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design, is the most widely used green
building rating system in the world. The LEED classification system assesses the design,
construction and operation of high-performance structures across several categories:
 Integrative Process
 Location and Transportation
 Sustainable Sites

 Water Efficiency
 Energy and Atmosphere
 Materials and Resources
 Indoor Environmental Quality
 Innovation
 Regional Priority
LEED certification is valid for throughout the project life cycle (design, construction,
operation and maintenance) and certification is grouped into five main categories:
 Building Design and Construction
 Interior Design and Construction
 Operations and Maintenance
 Homes
 Neighbourhood Development
Ratings are given to projects based on their performance in the categories. The ratings
awarded to projects within the LEED certification are Certified, Silver, Gold and Platinum
(USGBC, 2016).
C. CEEQUAL (UK: 2003)
Development of the Civil Engineering Environmental Quality Assessment and Awards
scheme (CEEQUAL) was required to deliver more sustainable infrastructure construction
(both BREEAM and LEED are focused on buildings). In a similar manner to LEED and
BREEAM, it assesses the sustainability of infrastructure projects, through its bespoke rating
tool. The CEEQUAL scheme operates during design and construction and evaluates
(CEEQUAL, 2007):
 Project Environmental Management
 Land Use
 Landscape
 Ecology and Biodiversity
 Archaeological and Cultural Heritage
 Water Issues

 Energy
 Use of Materials
 Waste
 Transport
 Nuisance to Neighbours
 Community Relations
The CEEQUAL rating covers a wide range of projects, for example water and sewage
systems, rail, tunnels and flood defences. The certification awards are Pass, Good, Very
Good and Excellent.
A significant part of the process is the awards presented to civil engineering projects that
have excelled in their environmental performance throughout design and construction. The
awards intend to raise the environmental performance of all projects.
CEEQUAL is now delivered by BRE and combines some of the attributes of BREEAM.
D. Greenroads (USA: 2010)
The Greenroads rating system is specifically for transportation infrastructure, used to
“measure and manage sustainability on transportation projects”. The Greenroads scheme,
while predominantly used in the United States, has been used on projects internationally.
The Abu Dhabi Department of Transport was one of the project teams who worked on the
development of the Greenroads system.
Greenroads credits are grouped into seven categories based on sustainability theme areas
and project lifecycle phases (Greenroads, 2010):
o Project Requirements
o Environment and Water
o Construction Activities
o Materials and Design
o Access and Liveability
o Utilities and Controls
o Creativity and Effort
The Project Requirements category defines the minimum steps that must be taken to be
Greenroads certified. Greenroads include the Project Requirements to:

 Encourage environmentally responsible decision-making processes
 Have management plans in place for construction
 Establish a minimum baseline for every project that applies for Certification
Once the baseline requirements have been met, Greenroads projects are certified as
Bronze, Silver, Gold and Evergreen.
E. Other tools
There are many more sustainability rating tools adopted internationally. For example, in
Japan, the Comprehensive Assessment System for Built Environment Efficient (CASBEE) is
“the method for evaluating a rating the environmental performance of buildings and the
built environment”. In Australia, certification of design, construction and operation of
buildings is done through Green Star (Green Star). In Qatar, the adopted tool to certify
green buildings is the Global Sustainability Assessment System (GSAS).
3. Sustainability Practices and Rating Tools within the UAE
A. Introduction
Shareef and Altan (2016) provide a comparison between international and Middle Eastern
rating tools. They highlight that local sustainability rating tools are important so that the
local conditions, regulatory requirements and construction practices are taken into
consideration and building performance can be increased.
The Emirates of Dubai, Abu Dhabi and Ras al Khaimah (RAK) have developed local
sustainability programmes and rating tools, focussing on the challenges and opportunities
specific to the region.
B. Abu Dhabi – Estidama (UAE: 2008)
The Estidama system is one of the foundation blocks of Abu Dhabi’s Vision 2030 having
recognised that “the UAE has almost the highest rate of energy consumption per person in
the world (UPC, 2010)”. Estidama, which is the Arabic word for sustainability, is an initiative
to promote sustainable design and construction in the built environment. Implemented in
2008, it provides resources and procedures, as well as more traditional rating tools, to
promote sustainable development.
One initiative within Estidama is the Pearl Rating System. The Pearl Rating System is a
rating tool and was designed to ensure sustainability throughout the project life cycle (from
design through construction to operation). It has been mandatory for all new buildings in the
Emirate of Abu Dhabi since 2010.

The Pearl Rating System (PRS), as a sustainability rating tool, can be used on three types of
projects:
 Pearl Community Rating System: Planning
 Pearl Building Rating System: Design and Construction
 Pearl Villa Rating System: Design and Construction
After each assessment, a number of Pearls is awarded, based on the project sustainability.
One Pearl is the lowest rating and Five Pearls is the highest. Minimum pearl ratings are
required for different structures, as defined in the Estidama regulations (for example,
Mosques must achieve a minimum of Two Pearls).
Abu Dhabi – Other rating tools
At present in the Emirate of Abu Dhabi there are no other mandatory local sustainability
rating tools. For example, projects involving rail, maritime or roads do not require a
sustainability assessment.
C. Dubai - Green Building Regulations and Specification (UAE: 2009)
The Emirate of Dubai incorporated the Green Building Regulations and Specification (GBRS)
in 2009. The aims of the regulations were to save energy and water and lower CO2
emissions. The regulations are focused on:
 Envelope Efficiency
 Cooling System
 Water Use
 Indoor Environment Quality
 Energy Efficiency
 Site Heat Island.
It is recognised that the GBRS is not a rating tool (i.e. no classification/award is given) but
provides conditions to be followed to meet the green building standards.
Some examples of the minimum requirements include (Dubai Municipality, 2011):
 Recycled Content - at least five percent (5%) of the total volume of materials used in
the construction of the building
 Regional Materials - building materials available regionally must comprise at least five
percent (5%) of the total volume of materials used in the construction of the building.

 Construction and Demolition Waste - at least fifty percent (50%) by volume or weight
of waste material generated during the construction and/or demolition of buildings
must be diverted from disposal in landfills. Diverted materials must be recycled or
reused.
D. Dubai - Al Safat (UAE: 2017)
Dubai has built on the initial foundations set by the GBRS and produced a rating tool; Al
Safat. New buildings in Dubai are required to be assessed by the rating tool, those that don’t
meet the minimum standard will not receive a building permit. A minimum level of
sustainability is therefore required for every new building in the Emirate of Dubai (Dubai
Municipality, 2017).
The categories assessed by Al Safat:
 Ecology and Planning
 Building Vitality
 Resource Effectiveness: Energy
 Resource Effectiveness: Water
 Resource Effectiveness: Materials and Waste
The rating system classifications are platinum, gold, silver and bronze.
Dubai – Other rating tools
Currently, a minimum rating requirement is required for villas and buildings; however, this
does not extend to the other facets of civil engineering such as roads, ports or rail.
E. RAK – Barjeel (UAE: 2018)
The Emirate of Ras al Khaimah has recently introduced Barjeel green buildings regulations
(2018). They support the United Arab Emirates policies of sustainable development,
through the application of minimum requirements for new buildings.
Barjeel is similar in structure to the Green Building Regulations of Dubai. The regulations
focus on:
 Energy Efficiency
 Water Efficiency
 Renewable Energy
 Materials and Resources

 Comfort and Well Being
RAK – Other rating tools
At present in the Emirate of RAK there are no other mandatory local sustainability systems.
The Other Emirates
Currently there are mandatory sustainable rating tools in place within the Emirates of Abu
Dhabi, Dubai and RAK. However, in the remaining four Emirates there are no specific
sustainability tools.
Optional accreditation
Any Emirate(s), developer or project may optionally seek accreditation through an
international rating system but there is no mandatory requirement (above and beyond the
local requirements).
LEED is the most popular international rating tool in the UAE. The UAE is among the top ten
countries in the world by quantity of LEED certifications. There are LEED certified projects in
Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Sharjah and Fujairah.
BREEAM has not been used frequently in the UAE but was adopted in Sharjah for the Al
Zahia development
To the authors knowledge, CEEQUAL has not been used as a rating tool in the UAE. It has
been adopted in the region (for example on Qatar’s Inner Doha Re-Sewerage
Implementation Strategy (IDRIS) Program).
4. Geotechnical Sustainability in Rating Tools
Introduction
There are no specific geotechnical rating tools in the UAE so geotechnical sustainability
needs to form part of the existing rating tools.
Abu Dhabi – Pearl Rating System
The rating categories in the Pearl Rating System (the sustainability rating tool part of
Estidama) do not have any specific points allocated for geotechnical engineering. In the
following categories there is scope for geotechnical engineering to contribute to obtaining
credit points (taken from Pearl Building Rating System: Design and Construction):
Integrated Development Strategy encourages a multidisciplinary approach to creating
sustainable buildings. The integrated team is required from project inception through to
final delivery. Geotechnical engineers should be considered during project development to

encourage more sustainable solutions. The Pearl Building Guide for consultants (UPC, 2010)
stresses the importance of assembling an integrated development team; however,
geotechnical engineers are not included in the examples provided.
Life Cycle Costing. A portion of the points is available for using Life Cycle Costing to evaluate
efficient designs. Early geotechnical input into the overall design solution, efficient
geotechnical design and choosing sustainable options can all reduce the quantity of
materials needed for construction. In addition, these designs reduce vehicle and machinery
operation and reduce extraction of natural materials.
Remediation of Contaminated Land. The site investigation and remediation design are
typically done by geotechnical/geoenvironmental engineers; however, the decision to
remediate land may be taken before geotechnical engineers are part of the decision-making
process.
Renewable Energy. Energy geotechnics includes deep geothermal energy extraction, energy
piles and geothermal heat pumps (Fragaszy et al. 2011). The decision to incorporate energy
geotechnics needs to be taken at the project initiation phase, with geotechnical engineers
forming part of the decision-making process.
Building Reuse. Reuse of existing foundations can contribute significantly to a more
sustainable project through material reduction, energy reduction and waste reduction. For
this to happen, geotechnical engineers would need to be involved early in the
decision-making process. The building reuse category is written with the superstructure in
mind; however, foundation reuse could also fall into Material Reuse.
Recycled Material. This section promotes the use of recycled steel, cement replacement and
recycled aggregates all of which a geotechnical engineer can promote if specifying these
items for the foundations, tunnels, pile walls etc.
Reused or Certified Timber. Timber piles are a feasible design option in the region for lightly
loaded structures, especially in marine environments.
Innovating Practice promotes innovation that increases sustainability. As there are limited
options in the other categories for geotechnical sustainability this category could be used to
improve the overall Pearl rating.
Dubai – Al-Safat
Dubai has relatively recently incorporated Al-Safat, based predominately on the Green
Building regulations.

Within geotechnical engineering Al-Safat could only be considered to be relevant to trying to
reduce construction and demolition waste. However, the Al-Safat tool considers that “land
clearing debris including soil, vegetation and rocks are typically not considered construction
and demolition waste.”
There is therefore negligible input for geotechnical engineering in the Al-Safat ratings.
Ras al Khaimah – Barjeel
The categories for review in the Barjeel rating are predominantly focussed on operational
efficiency with no consideration of sustainability in building construction. There is therefore
no input for geotechnical engineering in the Barjeel regulations.
LEED
A review of the points available in LEED indicates that there are no direct points specifically
for geotechnical engineering. However, it is possible to incorporate aspects of geotechnical
engineering in the following sections (taken from LEED Building Design and Construction
classification):
Integrative Process promotes a multidisciplinary approach to sustainable design which can
include geotechnical engineers.
Environmental site assessment is very similar to Remediation of Contaminated Land in the
PRS with similar opportunities and constraints for geotechnical engineers.
Renewable energy production has similarities to Renewable Energy from the PRS and can
include geotechnical energy sources.
Building life-cycle impact reduction. In its aim to improve sustainability in products,
geotechnical materials can be optimised.
Innovation in Design - Recognises innovation in green building categories not specifically
addressed by LEED. Geotechnical innovation could be included here.
BREEAM
In assessing how geotechnical sustainability is included in BREEAM, a review of the New
Construction classification was carried out.
Project brief and design. A common theme of all rating tools is stakeholder engagement and
initial project planning. Within the key design team defined by BREEAM, geotechnical
engineers are not listed as an interested party.

Life cycle costing and service life planning. Geotechnical sustainability could contribute here
if life cycle costing is used on geotechnical design.
Life cycle impacts. Although this section encourages the use of construction materials with
low impacts, it is focussed on the architectural finishes. Encouraging all geotechnical
elements to use construction materials with low impacts could be included here.
Designing for durability and resilience. Although foundation elements are included as part of
the checklist, durability design is usually carried out by a structural engineer (though the soil
classification is by geotechnical engineers).
Material efficiency. If involved at any early stage, geotechnical engineers can explore the
possibility of foundation reuse (if applicable). Geotechnical engineering can contribute to
material efficiency in the design stage, especially with foundation and temporary works
design. Geotechnical engineers can also help propose alternative means of construction.
Recycled aggregates. Specific credits are available for using recycled aggregate in
foundations.
Site selection. The site investigation and remediation design are typically done by
geotechnical/geoenvironmental engineers; however, the decision to remediate land may be
taken before geotechnical engineers are part of the decision-making process.
Innovation. Geotechnical innovation could earn extra credits in this section.
Greenroads
Several road projects in Abu Dhabi, managed by Abu Dhabi Department of Transport
(ADDOT) have been certified as Pilot Projects with Greenroads. The Emirate of Abu Dhabi is
using the Greenroads Pilot Projects to evaluate the performance of the projects and develop
a local rating system for infrastructure projects (Abu Dhabi DOT, 2013).
Geotechnical input into the Greenroads assessment includes:
Energy and Carbon Footprint. Geotechnical engineers can help reduce the quantity of virgin
materials through efficient design.
Low Impact Development. Geotechnical engineers can provide a review of the soil
conditions for drainage conditions; however, this is a management decision and the scope
for improving sustainability is limited.
Materials and Design. Although this category does not specifically address geotechnical
engineering, there is scope for design input.

5. Assessment of Existing Geotechnical Sustainable Practices in the UAE
In the United Arab Emirates, the legislative requirement to consider sustainability in a civil
engineering project is limited to the mandatory rating tools (e.g. Al-Safat or Pearl Rating
System), in certain Emirates (e.g. Dubai), and for certain engineering sectors (e.g. for
building, villa and community projects). However, this is not the case in other countries
(rating tools are optionally used), so the UAE can be considered to be proactive in civil
engineering sustainability.
The number of civil engineering projects which are certified with a non-mandatory rating
scheme in the UAE (e.g. LEED) is also relatively high (though the number of civil engineering
projects in the UAE is also relatively high). It is evident that there is a desire to improve
sustainability in civil engineering projects in the UAE from the Government and developers.
In the wider civil engineering context, there are a large number of projects which do not fall
into the mandatory requirements for example, ports, bridges, roads, tunnels, oil and gas
plants, airports etc. Nonetheless, most civil engineering projects could be assessed by one
of the rating tools.
Currently there are no sustainability initiatives focusing on geotechnical engineering in the
UAE. As a result, for geotechnical engineering to make an impact it must be included within
the rating tools (either a mandatory UAE system or international certification). The review of
the rating tools showed that geotechnical engineering can form a part of the sustainable
rating tools but there is potential for development. This includes new rating categories as
well as expanding the current classifications.
6. Practical Solutions to Increase Geotechnical Sustainability
A. Existing tools
Dubai, Abu Dhabi and RAK have policies on sustainability; however, this is not the case in
the other Emirates. The other Emirates should consider mandatory rating tools. Noting that
country specific rating tools offer more benefits to project sustainability other Emirates
should consider adopting a local standard (e.g. Estidama).
The importance of sustainability in the final product is clear from the focus of the rating
tools; over a building’s lifetime the energy and water requirements can be significant.
However, it is also important that the construction is performed in a sustainable way. The
existing local rating tools could be altered to emphasize a reduction in construction materials
and the importance of geotechnical engineering in sustainability.

There is more that geotechnical engineering can contribute (within these existing rating
tools) to improve sustainability. Although foundations and substructures have the largest
potential to improve sustainability, all elements of geotechnical engineering can contribute
to sustainable projects:
 reducing water consumption during construction
 reducing materials used, especially in the construction phase
 recycling of earthworks materials for fill and landscaping
 reducing construction and demolition waste
B. A wider scope for mandatory ratings tools
There are international rating tools that could be adopted to help complement the existing
tools which don’t cover the full spectrum of key engineering projects. There is continual
growth and investment in engineering projects in the UAE and improving sustainability in
ports, tunnels, roads, bridges, etc., is necessary as investment continues.
Using the example of road projects, Greenroads (2010) estimate that building one mile of a
one‐lane transportation project uses about as much energy as 100 average American
households use in a year. Given the length and width of new road developments in the UAE,
it is clear that more rating tools would help the UAE Government to achieve its aims on
sustainability. Mandatory rating tools should be adopted for large civil engineering projects.
Readily available international rating tools could be used and this would provide an instant
solution. CEEQUAL, for example, has been delivered on a very wide range of projects
(structures, groundworks, transport, energy, waste and water) and therefore offers the
most immediate potential for promoting sustainability in the UAE.
In addition, a rating system for geotechnical projects could be adopted. The CEEQUAL rating
system could be used for predominantly geotechnical engineering projects such as:
 Enabling works
 Land remediation
 Slope stability and remediation
 Sea defences
 Embankments / cuttings
It is noted that local rating tools and local categories are beneficial. These could be
developed over time to further improve project sustainability.

C. Geotechnical category
In the assessment of existing geotechnical sustainable practices in the UAE, it was discussed
that within the existing rating tools there is scope for greater contribution by geotechnical
engineers. This contribution could be achieved by the inclusion of a separate category for
geotechnical engineering (an example of a separate category is Vertical Transportation in
the Pearl Rating System). The range of possibilities for increasing a project’s sustainability
(e.g. reduced concrete, steel, waste, emissions etc.) means that the development of a
separate geotechnical category would be worthwhile. As almost all projects require
geotechnical engineering, this new category should be mandatory for maximum impact.
At present many of the categories focus on operational sustainability. Although over the
lifetime of a structure the water used during geotechnical applications (e.g. dewatering,
earthworks and foundation design) is significantly less than during operation, there is still
the chance to significantly reduce water consumption. A separate geotechnical category
would therefore help increase sustainability in the design and construction phase. For
example, the category for Water Use does not include any construction water activities (dust
suppression, earthworks compaction, concrete mixing, grouting, concrete mixtures etc).
However, these items should be addressed as well.
D. Earthworks
In most of the rating tools, earthworks material removed from site is not considered waste.
It is possible that earthworks materials are not considered waste only because they don’t
require treatment prior to going to landfill (or another final location).
Even if the soil and rock doesn’t require treatment there is still all the associated plant and
vehicle operations required for excavation, transportation and dumping. In addition to the
petrol consumption, hazardous emissions and traffic congestion, all earthworks cause
pollution through dust. Given that earthworks have an environmental impact then
earthworks should be considered as waste. As a consequence, engineering design, detailed
earthworks specifications and construction practices should focus on reducing this quantity:
 Engineering design can match cut and fill quantities, make better use of the existing
ground conditions, utilise ground improvement technologies etc.
 The earthworks specifications should be based on actual site conditions, with
unsuitable material defined considering the context of sustainability. Furthermore,
the specifications could be more prescriptive instead of qualitative (the subcontractor
is obliged to meet minimum criteria but can utilise more existing materials).

 Good construction practice includes using laser levels to minimise over excavations.
 Evaluate options to reuse material (e.g. temporary surcharging, permanent
landscaping or selling the excess)
A review of the waste sections in the existing rating tools should be carried out. Within the
current rating tools there is no benefit in reducing the quantity of soil and rock excavated
and transported from site. A separate Earthworks category could be proposed, with the
design and construction practices outlined above forming part of the criteria.
It is recognised that reusing earthworks in the current rating system may mean that
reduction and recycling rates (e.g. Construction Waste Management) are easily achieved
due to the large volumes of soil and rock moved in a typical project. However, this could be
addressed through a separate earthworks category or inclusion of a standalone geotechnical
category.
E. Integration
Most of the rating systems promote integration of different disciplines at project inception.
The development of procedures to ensure all stakeholders are involved, their plans noted,
and the processes recorded, should be conducted on every project. Incorporating
sustainability from the very start of a project maximises the opportunities for sustainability.
As the project progresses, incorporating sustainability becomes harder.
All disciplines, including geotechnical engineering, should be included in the initial
sustainability development meetings. As well as proposing how to incorporate geotechnical
sustainability into the project, inclusion encourages interaction with the experts in other
disciplines which can lead to improvement and new ideas across the project. Geotechnical
renewable energy is a prime example of where integration can be beneficial to a project.
Without early engagement the use of energy piles cannot be realised.
Inclusion of geotechnical engineers in the integrated development team should be
mandatory.
7. Areas for Further Research
Rating tools are the principal way to measure and compare sustainability on a project. Yet
there are many limitations; principally time and cost. On small projects there may not be
time or budget for a full sustainability analysis; however, this should not be a deterrent in
increasing project sustainability. Research should focus on whether it is possible to achieve
“practical day to day sustainability” to encourage stakeholders to improve sustainability on
projects and change the mindset towards consistent sustainable outcomes.

In geotechnical engineering this issue is particularly acute; there is no agreed method for
conducting geotechnical analysis and rating tools are often too complex for analysis.
Measuring the environmental performance of foundations can be challenging (BRE, 2016).
As a result, rating tools like BREEAM do not tend to include foundations and substructures in
its assessment. Building rating tools for geotechnical engineering may be challenging but
they need to be developed to increase sustainability.
8. Conclusion
Sustainability now forms part of the national agenda in the United Arab Emirates and as part
of this, sustainability during construction and operation of construction projects is
recognised as an area where improvements can be made. Rating tools are now frequently
used during engineering projects to measure how sustainable a project is and some of the
Emirates have developed sustainable rating tools. A review of the ratings tools indicates that
geotechnical sustainability has little to no contribution to the overall rating (for both local
and international rating tools).
Geotechnical engineering can contribute to making projects more sustainable. Solutions
proposed to improve sustainability in the UAE include development of the existing tools,
geotechnical subcategories, discipline integration and a focus on earthworks. Standalone
geotechnical rating tools could be developed in the future to service projects primarily
composed of geotechnical elements.
References
Abu Dhabi DOT (2013), The Department of Transport in Abu Dhabi Commences Engineering
Design of the First Green Road in the Middle East
Barjeel (2019), Green buildings regulations, Ras Al Khaimah Municipality
http://www.rakmunicipality.rak.ae/en/pages/rules-regulations.aspx
BRE (2016), Report of current status on sustainable substructures and foundations, BRE
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